1. Field Of The Invention
This invention pertains to the field of stringed musical instruments. More particularly, it pertains to stringed instruments of the type held in front of the performer while it is being played, while the strings are plucked. More specifically, the invention is a device for removably supporting the instrument in the playing position.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Stringed instruments such as banjos, ukuleles, mandolins, guitars and the like are often played while the performer is standing and holding the instrument in front of their body. For most of these instruments, just positioning and holding the instrument in front of the body during performance is sufficient throughout the entire performance. Guitars, however, are somewhat singular in that the performer, during performance, often wishes to maneuver the instrument into positions other than the conventional front-of-the-body position.
Particularly in the field of rock music guitar players, it is quite common for guitarists to swing the guitar wildly about themselves, above their heads, and down near the floor or other supporting surface during the performance. With performances lasting up to several hours, holding the guitar in a playable position is extremely tiring and can cause sufficient fatigue in the performers arms and hands as to reduce the performers artistic abilities and speed. With no support for the guitar following these wild maneuvers, it becomes even more of a strain on the performer.
The prior art has attempted to provide support devices for relieving the arm strain from the performer by supporting the guitar and other stringed instruments through the use of straps, levers, belts, etc. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,510,799; 3,323,698; 3,894,464; 4,014,240; 4,188,851; 4,251,016; 4,254,901; 4,656,917; and 4,785,705 are examples of prior art attempts to provide such support of the stringed instrument for the performer. Most of these prior art devices utilize straps that are passed over the shoulders, around the neck, or otherwise across the torso and terminate in clasps that may be attached to the stringed instrument to support it in front of the performer. However, they all share one common disadvantage. Little thought has been given to providing the performer with the ability to carry on the wild gyrations of his/her body and of the stringed instruments, as is expected and common during personal performances, to allow the stringed instrument to be re-set or re-supported in the playing position, at the front of the performer's body, following cessation of these gyrations. Such an ability would allow the performer to continue playing the music without the stress and strain of continually supporting the instrument, or from interrupting their performance to reattach the guitar or other stringed instrument to the support structure.
Accordingly, there is still a need in the industry for a removable support system, for a stringed instrument, such as to allow the user or performer to remove the instrument from the support system in one swift motion, undergo the gyrations and other movements with the guitar that is a part of the performer's presentation or act, and thereafter, in one swift movement, replace the stringed instrument on the support system for further playing without unduly straining the performer or interrupting his or her performance.